Fittings and pipe system for soot cleaners



v4 sheets-sheer 1 By Attorneys,

y y n PI 1, ,1930- F. w. LINAKER E+ AL FITTINGS AND IPE SYSTEM FOR SOOT CLEANERS Filed Jan. 22, 1925' Aprir l, v1930. l

F. w. LINAKER ET AL 1,752,442 P ITTINGS AND PIPE SYSTEM FOR SOOT CLANERS Fildulan. 22, 1923 4 sheets-sneer 2 Tg5.. g/ ,40

n. 72 I f/JJ Aprl 1, 1930. F. w. LINAKER ET AL FITTINGS AND PIPE SYSTEM FOR SOOT CLEANERS 4 sheets-'sheet 3 Fay 7.

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INVENTORS Apri 1, 1930. F. w. LINAKER ET AL .FITTINGS AND PIPE SYSTEM FOR SOOT CLEANERS File'd Jan. 22, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 .INVE TORS Ugcda Patented Apr. l, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK W. LINAKER AND THEODORE M. BRUBAGK, OF DU BOIS, PENNSYLVANIA FITTINGS AND PIPE SYSTEM FOR SOOT CLEANERS Application filed January 22, 1923.

rlhis invention relates to soot cleaners for boilers, and aims to facilitate and cheapen the erection of soot cleaning apparatus. Such apparatus commonly requires for each yboilersetting a main pipe or header, branch pipes therefrom to cleaner heads, and cleaner pipes or elements projecting from such heads Within the boiler setting, and having nozzles for directing jets among the boiler' tubes; l the elements are usually revoluble.

The invention provides fittings and combinations of such fittings, and pipe, especially adapted to accurate pipe fitting with a minimum of pipe cutting and trial, and especially adapted for field installations,that is, installations remote from facilities for pipe cutting, threading, etc., and in the hands of mechanics not having special qualifications for work requiring a high degree of accuracy.

The invention is particularly adapted for connecting soot cleaner appliances located in fixed positions, utilizing Huid under pressure, usually steam and Where strains due to imperfect pipe fitting, such as would cause binding or hard movement, are to be avoided.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure l is a sectional View of a T-fitting for connecting a header to a branch pipe.

Fig. lab is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating a slight modification and adaptable for use With a companion fitting such as shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a view of a casing for a rotating joint and showing means for connecting the branch pipe thereto when used in conjunction With a fitting such as shown in Fig. la.

w Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of a soot clean- Ier element and its rotating connections to the branch pipe.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the jointbetween the soot cleaner element and a pipe y forming a part of the rotating connections.

Fig. 5 is a sectional vievv on the line 5 5,

Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a vievv partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section of a boiler' of Serial No. 614,177.

the B. & WV. type, showing the invention applied thereto.

Fig. 8 is a similar View, the boiler being of the Stirling type.

Referring to said drawings, and particularly to Figs. 7 and 8, numeral 10 designates a header from which fluid under pressure, as

steam from a boiler 15, is distributed through branches 17 to appliances using such fluid, such as soot cleaner elements 20, for cleaning the soot from boiler tubes, these elements having a fixed location in the boiler setting and requiring that the fitting of the pipes and connections thereto be very carefully and skillfully done, in order to prevent binding of the cleaner elements in their bearings and disturbing the position of said elements. 25 designa-tes the fittings for connecting the branch pipes 17 to the header 10. The opposite ends of the branch pipes are connected to heads which communicate with the soot cleaner elements 20, which are pipes eXtending through the boiler setting into the inf terior thereof, and having nozzles or jet orifices for discharging jets of steam against or among the boiler tubes. The elements are commonly made rotatable and provided With means of any known type for rotating them so as to direct the cleaning jets at various angles against the tubes.

In the installation of such apparatus it is necessary that the pipe connections be very accurately made, and that the rotatable pipes or cleaner elements be accurately centered With reference to the openings made in the Wall of the boiler setting, so that these elements may freely rotate Without binding, and

so that the various pipes and connections may be free from undue strains in both their hot and cold conditions. Such installation'requires eXtreme care and skill in the measuring and cutting of the pipes, and in uniting them by means of the usual fittings. This Work requires the sending of highly experienced and expensive men to the locations, often remote, at Which the apparatus are to be applied to boilers. Heretofore no provision has been made for adjustable connections at the junctions of the respective pipes, so

that any error in cutting has made it neces- Y sary to re-cut and thread a pipe cut too lone', or to discard and substitute for one cut too short. The necessity for such care and skill has made the installation of such apparatus very expensive. The present invention provides adjustable means tor effectng the requisite pipe junctions, so that the pipes may be cut and prepared according to approximate measurements at the factory and shipped ready to erect, their assemblage and adjustment being within the skill ot ordinary local pipe litters.

To this end the main pipe or header 10, instead of being cut into sections between the fittings 25, is extended directly through these fittings, the latter being adjustable along the pipe to bring them to the ex ct required locations; and the branch pipes 17 are fitted adjustably at one or both ends, so that in erecting they may be set to varying eflective lengths whereby to bring the centers of the elements to the precise required positions and the connections between the elements and the headers are made longitudinally adjustable in order to bring the headers into the precise positions required within the boiler setting.

The fittings 25, as shown in Figs. 1 and 1, have each two openings 27, 2S in line and one or more openings 29 at an angle to said alined openings 27, 28, the fitting here shown being in the form of a T.

The openings 27, 28 have means 30 for making a stuifed or packed joint with the header, these means being conveniently in the form of a gland 32 having threaded engagement with the fitting and bearing upon a packing 33 to press it against a shoulder 34 and spread it against the header to make a packed or stuffed joint therewith. About midway of the position oi' the fitting on the header 10, the header is bored, as indicated at 36, to provide an outlet for the steam from the header to the branch pipe 17. The fitting 25 is slipped onto the header 10. and adjustments on either side ot' its approximate position are made by sliding the fitting on the header. When finally in place, the glands 32 are tightened to cause the packing 33 to make a. tight fit or joint. As the header 10 is continuous through the fitting a packed joint is suliieient to hold the pipe and fitting against separation by the action of the internal pressure in the header.

The opening or openings 29 are, however, provided with screw threads 38, or other means for making a strong connection between the fitting and branch pipe 17, so that the internal pressure acting to press the pipe away from the tting may be adequately resisted.

In order to provide for a range ot adjustment longitudinally of the branch pipe with relation to a device adapted to occupy a fixed position, as the soot cleaner element 20, the

iitting 25, or a complementary fitting, as the casing or head 40 of the turning joint 41, may be provided with an elongated threaded socket 43 or 43 adapted to receive the elongated threaded end 44, 44 ot the branch pipe 17. By threading the end 44, 44 of the branch pipe 17 to a greater or less extent in the socket 43, 43', an exact fit between the fitting 25 on the header 10 and the appliance 20 may be readily obtained. In Fig. 1 the fitting 25 is shown as provided with the elongated socket (43) while in Fig. 2 the casing or head 40 is shown as provided with the elongated socket (43') in which latter case the fitting 25 may be made with an ordinary screw-threaded socket 44, as shown in Fig. 1a.

As screw threads are cut with a clearance, and as under ordinary conditions the threads on the elongated threaded end 44,-44 of the branch pipe 17 would not be screwed into the socket 43-43, to an extent where the end threads would bind, means 46 may be provided for packing the screw-threaded joint. These means conveniently comprise a gland 47 and a packing 48, the gland 47 engaging the threads on thc branch pipe 17 and pressing the packing againstl a shoulder 49 on the fitting (25 or 40).

By using the fitting illustrated in Fig. 1 or the form illustrated in Fig. 1FL with a com panion fitting such as shown in Fig. 2, the pipe may be eut and threaded at a factory to approximate dimensions, according to a layout, or sketch, and shipped to the plant where the installation is to be done, and accurate connections may there be made with the soot cleaner element, or other similar a D- pliance; thus avoiding need ot extensive itting, rc-cutting and re-threading on the job, and without necessitating the employment ot specially trained fitters or erectors for doing the Work.

The element 2O is adapted to turn back and forth on its axis, and tor this purpose the turning-joint 41 is provided between the casing or head 40 and said element 20. A atchet mechanism may be pro 'ided for turning said element 20, which may for example be constructed as shown and described in our Patent No. 1,500,300, dated llune 29, 1926. '.lhe head or casing 40 may also contain a valve automatically operated by the element 20 tor controlling the flow of steam to said element, the details of which are shown in our application, Ser. No. (531,644, filed April 12,1923.

As the element 20 has to be very accurately positioned with relation to the tube system ol the boiler in conjunction with which itl is used, in order to obtain the best results, accurate tting in joining said element 20 to the head 40 is practically necessary. In order that this accurate fitting may be attained with comparative ease, and without re-cutting and re-threading of the pipe, the end 57 of the element 20 is provided with a long screw thread, which engages corresponding threads in the opening 59, of a fitting 60. This fitting 60 is conveniently formed as the hub of a segmental rack or ratchet-wheel 61 forming a part of the ratchet mechanism, and has a threaded opening 62 in which a nipple 64 forming a part of the turning-joint 41, is secured. The opening 69. is preferably made of larger diameter than the opening 59, in such manner that the end 57 of the element 20 may project within the nipple 64, thus providing in effect an elongated socket for the end 57. The adjustment of the element 20 with relation to the boiler tube bank may be made by screwing the end 57 of the element 2O to a greater or less extent into the opening 59. This may be readily done by an ordinary mech anic, and all cutting to an approximate length may be done at a central factory. Suitable means 66 may be provided for stuifing the oint between the threaded end 57 of the element 20 and the fitting 60. These means may conveniently consist of a gland 67 threaded on the pipe end 57 and pressing a packing 68 against a shoulder 69 and thereby spreading it against said threads.

As the fitting 60 is combined with the seginent-rack 6l by which the element 20 is turned, means such as a clamping-collar 70, adapted to be fastened on said threaded end 57, and having` a projection 7l adapted to lit within a notch 72 on the fitting 60, is preferably provided for preventing relative movement between said element 20 and said fitting 60.

The inventive ideas herein set forth may receive other specific embodiments than that herein specifically illustrated and described.

What we claim is:

l. A soot cleaner system for boilers, comprising a main header pipe, branch pipes leading therefrom and pipes forming cleaner elements communicating with said branch pipes and entering the interior of the boiler setting, said system having threaded connections forming the junction of the header pipe and branch pipes, at least one of said connections comprising a branch portion adjustably engaging an elongated threaded end portion of the branch pipe.

2. In a boiler soot cleaner, a header, a branch pipe from said header to said cleaner, and a fitting connecting said header and branch, said fitting having two openings in line and a third at an angle to said alined openings, said header passing through said alined openings, said fitting being slidable to an exact position on said header and having means for making a stuffed joint at each of said alined openings with said header, said branch pipe being connected to said third opening.

3. In a boiler soot cleaner a casing or head, a short pipe having a steam-tight turning joint with said head, an axially ad'ustable pipe or cleaner element, a union etween said pipes for connecting them, said axially adjustable pipe having a long screw thread thereon, a threaded portion in said union in which said long threaded pipe portion engages, and means for making a stuffed joint between said union and said long threaded pipe portion.

4. In a boiler soot cleaner a casing or head, a short pipe having a steam-tight turning joint with said head, an axially adjustable pipe or cleaner element, a union between said pipes for connecting them, said axiall adjustable pipe having a long screw t read thereon, a threaded portion in said union in which said long threaded pipe portion en- 0rages, and means for making a stuffed joint between said union and said long threaded pipe portion, said union having means thereon for turning said connected pipes.

5. In a boiler soot cleaner a casing or head, a short pipe having a steam-tight turning joint with said head, an axially adjustable pipe or cleaner element, a union between said pipes for connecting them, said axially adjustable pipe having a long screw thread thereon, a threaded portion in said union in which said long threaded pipe portion engages, and means for making a stuffed joint between said union and said long threaded pipe portion, said union having means thereon for turning said connected pipes, and a clamp-collar on said long threaded pipe portion having means for engaging said union, to prevent relative movement between said union and said long threaded pipe portion.

6. In a boiler soot cleaner a casing or head, a short pipe having a steam-tight turning joint with said head, an axially adjustable pipe or cleaner element, a union between said ipes for connecting them, said axially adjustable pipe having a long screw thread thereon, a threaded portion in said union in which said long threaded pipe portion engages, and meansfor making a stuffed joint between said union and said long threaded pipe portion, said short pipe having a larger inside diameter than the outside diameter of said long threaded pipe portion, whereby the latter may telescope said short pipe.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto signed our names.

FREDERICK W. LINAKER. THEODORE M. BRUBACK. 

